Dissertation Fellowship FAQ

Thank you for your interest in the Spencer Dissertation Fellowship for Research Related to Education. Please read each question carefully. If you have a specific question that is not answered below, please contact Carrie McGill Simkins, by telephone at 312-274-6526 or by email at fellows@spencer.org.

What is the deadline?

Completed applications must be submitted electronically by 5pm Central Standard Time (CST) on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Hard copies of the application and narrative will not be accepted.

The two letters of recommendation as well as your graduate transcript must be received by the Spencer Foundation no later than 5pm Central Standard Time (CST) on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. We encourage applicants to request letters from the recommenders and request transcripts early since late materials will not be accepted. Applicants are asked to collect the three items and mail them in one envelope to the following address:

When is the notification of awards?

All applicants will be notified of their status in April 2009.

What if there are difficulties in obtaining my letters of recommendation?

Occasionally applicants face difficulties obtaining a faculty letter in time due to circumstances such as faculty sabbatical leaves or illness. Please contact your faculty referees early to avoid the problem of a late letter. However, in the event that you anticipate this kind of circumstance, please contact the Foundation as early as possible to discuss the submission of letter(s) under separate cover or via email. 

Because our process moves forward quite quickly, we can make no guarantee that late letters will be included in the early stages of the review process.

Is there an example of a successful application from previous years?

The Spencer Foundation is unable to make previous applications publicly available. However, we do highly recommend reading "The Art of Writing Proposals" an article published by the Social Science Research Council about crafting a competitive research proposal. Please visit www.ssrc.org for more information. 

We also stress to all candidates that fellowship applications are read by a multidisciplinary selection committee. Applications should, therefore, be written for a generalist audience. Spencer strongly encourages applicants to have colleagues from other departments and fields read their applications to provide general feedback and ensure that the application can be understood by readers from different disciplinary backgrounds.

Can I get feedback on my turned down application?

No, regretfully. Due to the quantity of applications received, it is the Spencer Foundation's policy not to give feedback on dissertation applications.

Can I apply if I am not in a department or school of education?

Yes. You can be a doctoral candidate in any field, as long as your dissertation topic relates to education and shows promise of contributing to the understanding of the history, theory, or practice of education.

What if I'm not sure whether my topic relates to education?

The Spencer Foundation has a long history of supporting projects related to education broadly conceived. You might look at the listing of grants awarded during past years in order to assess the range of topics supported by Spencer. Grant lists are available on the Foundation website on the Annual Reports page. Because topics are a reflection of what grantees chose to study, do not assume that past grants are an indication of the only substantive topics in which the Foundation is interested. It is incumbent upon the applicant to state clearly and explicitly the connection between the proposed research and the improvement of education. In addition, all applications should demonstrate that educational research will continue to be a high priority for the researcher subsequent to doctoral completion.

If you can make a case that your research is relevant to education (again, broadly conceived) and if your own research interests, both short and long term, are with educational issues, you should certainly consider applying. If you feel education is a stretch, you will probably have difficulty writing a competitive application.

How broadly does the Foundation define education?

The Foundation's definition of education is quite broad and encompasses education in its many forms: formal and non-formal, US and non-US, early childhood through adult, school settings and non-school settings, and so forth.

I am not a US citizen. Am I eligible?

Yes - if you are a candidate for the doctoral degree at a graduate school in the United States. Foreign universities with charters in the United States do not meet eligibility qualifications.

What if I currently have funding from another source?

Federal regulations make it impossible to hold concurrent awards which provide duplicate benefits. If you are offered a Spencer Fellowship AND another fellowship, please contact Carrie McGill Simkins (fellows@spencer.org or 312-274-6526) to discuss your situation.

I applied last year and was turned down. Can I apply again this year?

Yes. You may reapply for the dissertation fellowship award if you are (and will still be) in the write-up phase of your work during the term of the fellowship.

What are the specifications for finishing candidacy requirements in accordance with the Foundation timeline?

Applicants must have completed all pre-dissertation requirements by June 1, 2009. These pre-dissertation requirements include: course requirements, qualifying paper or comprehensive exams, official approval of the dissertation proposal, and any other program-specific requirements. The Foundation's intent is that our fellowship fund the final stage of doctoral work - the writing of the dissertation. It is our expectation that fellows will complete their doctoral studies by the end of the fellowship period, or soon thereafter.

How long is the tenure of the Spencer Dissertation Fellowship?

The tenure of the fellowship is not less than one academic year (9 months) and not more than two calendar years (24 months). In applying for the fellowship, you are asked to designate in a Work Plan the amount of time you anticipate needing to finish your dissertation. The Fellowship cannot start any earlier than June 1, 2009 and must be completed by the end of May 2011.

Can I work during the Fellowship year?

The Spencer Dissertation Fellowship is designed to provide you with support for the write-up phase of your dissertation and to alleviate the need for significant other employment. However, we recognize that individuals have unique needs and circumstances. In the case of a single year fellowship, the Foundation's rule of thumb is that fellows may have "reasonable" outside employment during the fellowship year, which we typically define as employment related to their professional development as a scholar at a level up to (or the equivalent of) one-forth time teaching assistantship per semester. In the case of a two-year fellowship, the applicants must demonstrate that they are devoting at least half of their time over the two years to dissertation writing. Applicants are asked to describe any anticipated employment in the Work Plan section of the application. If a fellow wishes to accept any additional employment (not originally listed in the Work Plan) during the tenure of the fellowship, written permission must be obtained from the Foundation. The Selection Committee must have ample evidence to demonstrate that a candidate will be able to finish the dissertation by writing full-time for one year or part-time over two years.

Can I accept other awards?

Applying for other funding will not, in any way, hinder your eligibility for a Spencer award. You must, however, notify the Foundation if you are offered another fellowship and discuss the nature and terms of the award.

Are there rules for how funding is spent?

The only stipulation is that the fellowship be used to support a student while writing his or her thesis. Exactly how that money is spent is up to each fellow's own discretion and individual need. For example, expenditures the fellowship might cover include (but are not limited to): living expenses, medical/dental insurance, research equipment and/or expenses, books, workshops or conferences, and university tuition or fees.

Does the Foundation provide 1099 Forms to Fellows?

The Spencer Foundation does not withhold any funds from fellowship payments and does not issue any 1099 forms. If questions arise regarding the tax implications of payments, it is Foundation policy to suggest that a tax professional is contacted.